Senior Manager, Purchasing

Metropolitan Council; Saint Paul (MN); On-site; USD 74,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Metropolitan Council, based in the Twin Cities region, seeks a Senior Manager, Purchasing to provide enterprise-wide strategic direction for procurement. You will shape long-range purchasing strategy, supervise managers, and ensure legal and policy compliance while elevating service delivery across divisions.

You will lead development of procurement policies, oversee supplier performance, manage complex negotiations, and drive training and ERP system initiatives.

Qualifications

• Education/Experience combinations as listed: HS + 11 yrs + 3 yrs supervisory, Associate + 9 yrs + 3 yrs supervisory, Bachelor's + 7 yrs + 3 yrs supervisory.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction to purchasing supervisors and team, set goals and performance metrics.
• Develop and oversee enterprise purchasing policies and procedures for compliance.
• Lead vendor outreach and supplier development, track participation metrics.
• Collaborate on procurement training programs to build staff competency.
• Serve as procurement lead for ERP and procurement systems initiatives.
• Represent Procurement Department to stakeholders and report to senior leadership.
• Lead or participate in special projects and process improvements.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Procurement policy

Contract negotiation

Vendor management

Data analysis

ERP systems

Training design

Microsoft Office

Education

High school diploma/GED + 11 years exp + 3 supervis/senior

Associate degree + 9 years exp + 3 supervis/senior

Bachelor's degree + 7 years exp + 3 supervis/senior

Tools

Microsoft Office

Procurement systems/ERP

Job description

The Regional Administration Division is accepting applications for a Senior Manager, Purchasing.

We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 20 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional parks and trails, transportation, wastewater, and housing services.

We are committed to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

The Procurement Department supports internal Council units purchasing the goods and services necessary to conduct Council business. In carrying out this purpose, the department complies with Council policies and procedures, as well as the laws of federal, state, and local governments, and the requirements of grants the Council receives.

How your work would contribute to our organization and the Twin Cities Region:

The Senior Manager, Purchasing provides enterprise-wide strategic direction for the Council's procurement function, shapes long-range purchasing strategy, and ensures purchasing needs are met in compliance with legal requirements, Council policies and procedures, and customer service goals. This position leads purchasing supervisors and builds organizational capability in sourcing, contracting, procurement systems, and supplier performance. This position drives initiatives that modernize procurement processes, strengthen compliance, and elevate service delivery across all divisions.

This position includes supervisory, strategic, and administrative responsibility. As the Council's senior procurement authority below the Deputy Chief Procurement Officer, this position influences executive decision-making, represents the Council to internal and external stakeholders, and ensures purchasing strategy supports long-term organizational effectiveness and risk mitigation.

• Provide strategic direction, development, and support to the purchasing supervisors and the full purchasing team to ensure effective, compliant, and enterprise-aligned procurement operations across all divisions. Directly supervise purchasing supervisors, set purchasing goals, benchmarks, and performance metrics, drive performance management, and oversee hiring, onboarding, and succession planning. Serve as the final escalation point for complex procurement decisions, policy exceptions, vendor disputes, and compliance issues elevated by supervisors.
• Develop, implement, and oversee enterprise purchasing policies, procedures, and strategic frameworks to ensure legal compliance, operational effectiveness, and alignment with Council priorities, including the Council's Thrive principles and equity goals. Maintain adherence to state and federal requirements, oversee internal controls, review and approve high-value, high-risk, or policy-sensitive procurement actions, coordinate responses to internal and external audits, and advise divisions on best-practice procurement approaches, specifications, pricing, and contract terms.
• Lead strategic vendor outreach and supplier development initiatives to broaden the Council's qualified vendor base, strengthen competition, and advance equity and sustainability procurement goals. Coordinate with the Office of Civil Rights and Small Business Programs to implement the Council's Underutilized Business Program, track and report vendor participation metrics, and build relationships with businesses, trade organizations, and community partners.
• Collaborate with procurement leadership and the Contracts Management Support Unit to design and deliver procurement training programs that build staff competency, strengthen compliance, and support professional development across the purchasing team and internal customers. Work with the Compliance Manager to ensure training content reflects current legal and policy requirements, and lead curriculum development, facilitation, and ongoing learning initiatives.
• Serve as the procurement business lead for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and procurement systems. Coordinate with the Deputy Chief Procurement Officer to represent procurement business needs, workflows, and policy requirements in Information Services-led system initiatives, including process mapping, user acceptance testing, purchasing team readiness, user guidance, and procurement reporting needs.
• Represent the Procurement Department to internal and external stakeholders to advance organizational priorities and maintain strong, effective procurement relationships. Serve as the primary procurement representative in cross-divisional planning and Council-wide initiatives, build relationships with division directors and senior leadership, respond to data requests and vendor protests in coordination with the Office of General Counsel, and present reports, briefings, and recommendations to senior leadership and advisory bodies.
• Lead or participate in special projects, task forces, or process improvement initiatives as assigned. Assist with Council-wide resource allocation decisions to ensure procurement resources are deployed effectively. Perform other duties as assigned in support of department leadership and organizational initiatives, as directed by the Deputy Chief Procurement Officer.

Education/Experience:

Any of the following combinations of completed education (in Public Administration, Business Administration, Accounting, Supply Chain Management, or closely related field) and progressively responsible experience (in government procurement, or a related field).

• High school diploma/GED with eleven (11) years of work experience, and three (3) years of supervisory/management experience.
• Associate degree with nine (9) years of work experience, and three (3) years of supervisory/management experience.
• Bachelor's degree or higher with seven (7) years of work experience, and three (3) years of supervisory/management experience.

What additional skills and experience would be helpful in this job (desired qualifications):

• Master's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, or Supply Chain Management.
• Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO) certification.
• Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB) certification.
• Familiarity with enterprise procurement or financial systems from a business-user perspective.
• Knowledge of government procurement best practices, including competition, solicitations, contract types, and terms and conditions.
• Knowledge of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) procurement requirements and grant compliance standards.
• Knowledge of Minnesota Uniform Municipal Contracting Law, the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, and applicable state and federal procurement statutes.
• Knowledge of procurement system functionality and how it interfaces with inventory, asset management, and financial systems, from a business-user perspective.
• Knowledge of internal controls applicable to public procurement and purchasing operations.
• Knowledge of the Metropolitan Council Underutilized Business Program, equity procurement principles, and supplier diversity best practices.
• Knowledge of adult learning principles, curriculum design, and training program development applicable to procurement education.
• Knowledge of cooperative purchasing programs, contracts, and intergovernmental procurement frameworks.
• Knowledge of sustainable purchasing principles and their application to public sector procurement programs.
• Skilled in strategic planning, goal setting, and performance measurement for a multi-team procurement operation.
• Skilled in policy development, including drafting, editing, and implementing procurement policies and work instructions.
• Skilled in negotiation with internal and external stakeholders on complex procurement matters.
• Verbal communication skills sufficient to present to senior leadership, advisory boards, and external audiences.
• Written communication skills sufficient to draft reports, policy documents, correspondence, and training materials.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) sufficient to develop presentations, reports, and analytical tools.
• Skilled in procurement training design and facilitation for diverse audiences, including staff and internal customers.
• Skilled in data analysis and reporting using procurement system data and standard reporting tools.
• Skilled in collaboration and relationship building across departments, with vendors, and with external procurement networks.
• Ability to think strategically, analyze complex procurement and organizational issues, and make sound recommendations and decisions.
• Ability to lead, manage, and motivate a multi-layered team, including supervisors and frontline purchasing staff.
• Ability to effectively plan and distribute workload across purchasing teams through a supervisory layer.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with division leadership, vendors, auditors, and intergovernmental partners.
• Ability to design and deliver procurement training programs that improve staff competency and organizational compliance.
• Ability to represent procurement business needs effectively in cross-functional system projects led by technical teams, ensuring purchasing requirements are understood and addressed.

What you can expect from us:

• We offer the opportunity to make a difference and positively influence the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
• We encourage and support staff in contributing to a dynamic work culture that improves the Council's ability to serve the region.
• We encourage and support staff in bringing the full range of experiences and identities that define them to the workplace.
• We encourage our employees to develop their skills through on-site training and tuition reimbursement.
• We provide a competitive salary, excellent benefits, and a good work/life balance.

Union/Salary Grade: MANA / Grade K

FLSA: Exempt

Safety Sensitive: No

Full Salary Range: $53.76 - $87.25 hourly / $111,820.80 - $181,480.00

Work Environment

Work is performed in a standard office setting. Some positions may require travel between primary work sites and other sites.

Disclaimer

The examples of essential functions listed in the class specifications are representative but not necessarily exhaustive or descriptive of any one position in this class.

The responsibilities listed are typical of the positions included in the job classification; however, not all duties are necessarily performed by each specific position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties of the position. Regular attendance is an essential responsibility.

The Metropolitan Council is an Equal Opportunity, Affordative Action, and veteran-friendly employer. The Council is committed to a workforce that reflects the diversity of the region and strongly encourages persons of color, members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply.